Birthday Present
by Sirius Pax
Summary: Happy birthday Esperanza! I made this just for you because I know how much you love Transformers Prime. won't give any hints about anything except there's a big surprise that I know you weren't expecting. talk to you soon buddy. Rated T for language. I might make a second chapter, see where this goes. so, it's iffy from in-progress and complete.


A special one shot for my best friend and favorite writer, Esperanza Hyde the Vamp Queen. Happy birthday! Also, I might make another chapter of this if I feel like it to accommodate how everything works out later on, especially because all my one shot stories usually are made into chapter stories.

Esperanza sighed as she watched her guardian. How did she get into his again?

Esperanza was just walking down the road, school was her prison, she was happy it was out for the weekend. She turned to her left to see Jack drive by. "Hey Jack!" he stopped and looked at her. "Hey Ranza, what's been going on?"

"Prison, chores, typing, the usual." She knew Jack understood what prison was. Jack smiled and said, "Well, wanna come with?" "Only if Wendy can come." Ranza replied. Wendy popped out from behind Esperanza and said, "Yeah, I wanna go!"

Jack rolled his eyes and said as he opened the door to the Urbana 500, "Get in." the 2 jumped in and Jack drove forward. After a few minutes, Wendy asked, "Why are we heading for a cliff face?" "It's how we get in." Jack replied as they drove into a hall. A few seconds later, they were in front of 4 other sentient beings.

Wendy and Esperanza were staring at them and quickly jumped out and started for the first one. "Easy!" Jack yelled and pulled them back. The Urbana 500 transformed and the girls squealed in excitement. "That's awesome!"

"Jack, why did you bring them here?" "They're birthday's coming up and this is their present." Jack supplied to the big red and blue 'bot. "Awesome present!" Wendy cheered and lurched forward, circling the small blue one. "But, what are they?" "Aliens." A boy stated as he came down the steps.

Wendy cocked her head and questioned, "Raf, is that you?" Esperanza got glomped by Miko who said, "And Miko too!" "Hey." Esperanza managed to rasp. Miko snickered and growled in pain as she was shoved off and onto her back.

A red and white 'bot grumbled before turning away from everyone and working at a computer system. "Ratchet, you're rude." Miko flat out admitted and the 'bot turned to her then looked at Esperanza and Wendy. He sighed. "Fine, what is it?"

"You are to be their guardians, Ratchet." The red and blue 'bot stated and Ratchet froze. "Optimus, I object to that! I am quite busy!" he denied. "Ratchet, my decision is final." Optimus replied. Esperanza and Wendy looked at each other before back to their guardian.

"Oh yeah." Esperanza muttered. Well, three fights, two Miko rescuing, and 2 scoldings from their guardian in one and ½ weeks later, Esperanza and Wendy were only 2 days from their birthday. Ratchet looked down at Esperanza to see her slouched over.

He sighed, knowing she was bored out of her mind. "Alright Esperanza, what do you want to do?" he questioned and Esperanza looked up. "I want a hint for my birthday present you're going to give me." "Sorry, that's not going to be told." Ratchet replied.

Wendy walked up and said, "Ranza, wanna play soccer?" Esperanza smiled and said, "Yeah, let's do this!" Wendy kicked the ball to her and Ranza gave a good power kick. Raf ducked as the ball soared at him and 'Bee whirled sharply at the girls who didn't pay attention.

Wendy kicked it high and hard and Esperanza jumped into the air and head-butted it. That didn't end up too well. She fell to the ground and groaned. "Ranza!" everyone shouted and raced forward. Ratchet checked her and said with almost too much concern for his being, "She has a concussion." Esperanza groaned and asked, "Anyone get the license plate number of the big rig that hit me?"

She fell back and Jack caught her head before it hit the ground. He laid her head down gently and looked up. "That's 2 symptoms." He reported. Ratchet sighed and sat her on a medical berth and sat down next to it. He rested his helm on the berth and looked down at Esperanza. "Ratchet." Ratchet lurched up at his designation and looked at Wendy.

"Our mom says that I and Ranza can stay with some friends for a couple of days." She explained and Ratchet nodded and put his helm back down. Optimus walked up with some energon and pressed it in front of Ratchet. "Refuel Ratchet, your tanks are low." Optimus suggested.

Ratchet took a glance up at him and set the cube beside him, resting his helm back down. What caused Ratchet to suddenly go quiet? "Ratchet, what's wrong?" Raf asked as he climbed onto the medical berth. Ratchet looked at him and muttered, "Nothing." "Yeah, sure. You're watching Esperanza like a hawk." Miko protested.

Ratchet glanced at her before returning his vision to Ranza. She woke up after about an hour and everyone started asking if she was alright as Ratchet just looked at her. He avoided her for the next day, and kept his mouth shut. Esperanza watched her guardian from her cot with confused eyes. Why the FUCK was he avoiding her?

"Ratchet, what the fuck are you avoiding me for?" Ratchet only glanced at her before looking away with ashamed optics. "You're confusing the fuck out of me Ratchet. Now talk asshole." She growled. Ratchet shook his helm and mumbled, "It's nothing." "Nothing my fucking ass." Esperanza replied.

"It's about your present." Ratchet stated. Esperanza perked up and said, "Really?" "Yeah…" Ratchet trailed off and said, "You'll see it tomorrow." Esperanza bounced up and down in excitement and said, "This will be awesome, I get to have my birthday at base!"

Ratchet chuckled softly and said, "I can imagine." He turned then and started to type. The rest of the day went on with Esperanza trying to guess what her presents were. They weren't breaking anytime soon. Ratchet watched and she looked at him and he interfered before she could ask. "I'm not telling nor am I giving any clues."

Esperanza pouted and glared at him. He chuckled and ignored it. The next day she and her sister woke up extra early, but not as early as Ratchet. They were surprised to see presents already sitting on a table. "Fair warning, the 'bots that had guardians worked with their guardians for the presents, if you're wondering." Ratchet explained before anything was said.

"We don't mind." The twins chorused. The 'bots came in as the kids woke up from their sleepover and they all started to sing happy birthday. The first that was brought to Esperanza was Miko's and Bulkhead's present.

It was a frying pan. "You complain too much about me so…." She bent down and Esperanza smiled evilly and whacked her on the head. Miko was out like a light bulb. "That was fun." Esperanza complimented and the humans laughed with some of the 'bots.

Wendy got her 50 favorite songs from Miko. Optimus watched as his was brought to the 2. "From Optimus to Wendy and Esperanza." Jack read. The twins lifted up the hatch of the basket and squealed. "Kittens!" they hollered and pulled out two fluffy kittens. One was an orange male with blue eyes and the other was calico girl with greyish-green eyes.

"I'll name you Oliver." Esperanza concluded. "And I'll name this one Patches." Wendy included. Optimus smiled; glad to know they liked his present. He found them in a shelter and decided that they would be the perfect gift. Raf and 'Bee got them a computer/tablet 2 in 1 each. Since Jack's gift was bringing the twins to base, he helped Arcee out with her present.

Ratchet wasn't too happy with it either. Candy + Esperanza + Wendy = all hell breaking loose. Jack of course knew this, as he also told everyone else this, and couldn't resist seeing how Ratchet would hold up to how crazy they were going to get. Arcee was quite interested as well. The twins agreed on eating all their candy with their cake; 2 words: oh shit.

Ratchet's presents were taken up to the 2. Sapphire, almost blue, glowing necklaces were his presents to them. "Where and what?" Wendy questioned. "I made them out of my spark." Ratchet replied before turning back to his work.

"Ratchet, you little softy." Miko, who was now awake, cooed. "Don't talk to my guardian like that…" and Miko gets knocked out by the frying pan-wielding Esperanza… again. "I wonder how many times that you'll have to knock her out." Ratchet mused.

"Who knows? Miko is annoying. And this will help when she tries going through the bridge. "I and Miko just helped her stay at base." Bulkhead recognized. "Hey yeah, you did." Wendy piped up. beings started laughing or smiling and Ratchet led Esperanza off, saying he needed to talk to her.

"Ratchet, if it's about the candy, I can't help you." Esperanza started, "It's my coding to eat it and get hyper." Ratchet sighed and said as he transformed, "It's not the candy, it's your personal present. Hop in." Esperanza bounded over and got in the passenger's seat.

"So, where we heading?" "Don't worry, it's not too far." Ratchet replied. Esperanza sighed, another waiting game. She sighed as she crossed her arms and looked out the window as Ratchet's holoform 'drove'.

_I wonder where Ratchet could be taking me. Probably to get me something to eat from KO's burger joint. _Esperanza thought as they drove forward. What surprised her was that they drove straight through Jasper without stopping except for traffic lights. "Uh Ratchet?" "Relax I told you. Fowler wanted me to take you somewhere and he paid for it. So just sit tight." Ratchet replied.

"I want my candy." Esperanza muttered. "When we get back to base. Just, probably stay away from me when you're hyper." "You'll get scared out of your wits and throw a wrench at me." "I wouldn't say scared out of my wits, but I would throw a wrench at you." "Then I'll tell you this, you'll need to lock up the peashooter."

"Noted." Ratchet responded and pulled into a parking lot. "There's a change of clothes in the back." Ratchet stated suddenly and Esperanza looked at the restaurant.

Acquerello

"Ratchet?" she looked to see Ratchet sitting there with a tux on. He got out and walked around, opening the passenger door. "Don't worry, I won't look." "You're the vehicle." She protested. "My sensory systems are off." Esperanza wasn't sure to trust him. "If you don't trust me then slip it on over top and take the clothes you have on under them off. Miko's done it at base millions of times."

Esperanza sighed and went with the later of the option, and Ratchet didn't look just in case she chose the first option. And obviously, she did it inside him to not be embarrassed if others saw. She stepped out and Ratchet looked to her. _Fuck…_ Ratchet shook his head and led Esperanza, who was in a black sparkle dress and half in high heels, into the restaurant.

"A table for 2 reserved for Ratchet Anderson and Esperanza Hyde in Mr. Fowler's name." Ratchet explained and the man nodded and led them in. Ratchet was mostly silent and that caused Esperanza to be silent. "What's wrong Esperanza, don't you like it?" Ratchet questioned as he looked up.

"Yeah, I do, but, usually I'm silent around you." Esperanza admitted, blushing the faintest. Ratchet, being keen to seeing things as well as hearing, noticed instantly. "Then why are you blushing?" Ratchet questioned as he picked up the menu again. Esperanza looked startled and said, "It's nothing." "Okay." Ratchet said with enough enthusiasm to get it to Esperanza he knew she was lying.

"What are you getting?" Ratchet once again tried to strike up a conversation. "I was thinking shrimp." Esperanza replied as she looked over the menu. Ratchet chuckled and said, "Perhaps the, hmmm, shrimp platter with rice and herb with the option of garlic with some broccoli, and carrots?" "How did you…?"

Ratchet chuckled, cutting her off, and said, "I was going to get it." "But, you can't…" Ratchet once again politely cut her off and said, "Hey, I'm the smartest one on the team. I made the holoforms compatible for all predicaments and even eating. I mean, they have to eat if they want to look like humans." their drinks were sat down and the waiter said he would be back in a few minutes for their orders.

As Esperanza waited, she fiddled with the necklace. Ratchet smiled and pulled out a casing from his pocket. He placed it on the table and gently scooted it over in front of Esperanza. Esperanza looked down at it and Ratchet said, "It's another 1/3 of your present." Esperanza opened the box to see sapphire, almost green, earrings and slave bracelet.

"As with the necklace, I made them out of my spark." "Ratchet," Esperanza started. Ratchet took her hand and gently put the slave bracelet on her wrist. "Why are you doing this?" Esperanza was shocked. "You'll see, you need to trust me on this." Ratchet stated and the waiter came and took their order.

As they waited, Esperanza was trying to think of every reason as to why Ratchet was doing all this. _Nah, he doesn't love me like I've fallen for him._ Esperanza was still hurt to know that he would never like her like she wanted.

They stayed silent as they ate, and Ratchet was mentally panicking. _Primus fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! What am I doing?! She probably doesn't even like me for Primus' sake! But… I love her, and nothing will ever change that._ Ratchet sighed and knew then that he was happy for what he believed in.

At the end of dinner, they walked out. "E-Esperanza, I want to give you the final part of your gift." Ratchet whispered as they got in his vehicle mode, which had changed into a small Hummer H2 limo. "Another piece of jewelry?" Ratchet shook his head and gently grabbed her hands in his.

Ratchet leaned forward and kissed her softly and passionately. "I love you." he whispered. Esperanza blushed and Ratchet smiled as a little blush came to his face as well. "Ratchet, I've really liked you for a while now." "Are you saying…?" he was cut off as Esperanza gave him a kiss back. "I love you too." She whispered. Ratchet smiled and they started back to base.

They got back just before dark and Ratchet let Esperanza go eat her body weight in candy and cake. He watched in amusement as she bounced around the base and ran around all the holoforms. Esperanza raced up and kissed him and Ratchet watched with a chuckle as she started running around again, watching his charge, his little vampire queen, his girl.


End file.
